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Taking apart my OLD air compressor
Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 11:03 pm
by ugly_guitar_guy
Hey guys, I'm taking my air compressor apart to replace the gasket, and I can't seem to remove this last metal part that is supposed to unscrew. The owners manual shows some kind of U-shaped tool that fits into those two holes to unscrew it but the damn thing is so old I can't seem to get it unscrewed. Any of you have an idea as to how I can get this thing apart??
(I even tried bending a makeshift tool out of a pegboard hook, and it doesn't even make it budge.)
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:28 am
by wa2crk
Use a piece of flat bar stock and drill holes at the appropriate spacing for some screws. Tap the holes and tighten the screws in the holes so the screws will just reach into the holes on the disc and start to turn the piece off. Are you sure that is not a left and thread?
Bill V
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:05 am
by derekdarling
Can't judge the size from the photo, but many right-angle grinders use such a tool. If it fits, you have a tool to use. And these grinders can be had for under $20 at a home centre. In Canada I got one at Canadian Tire... you likely have something similar locally.
Derek
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:56 pm
by easterngray
It does unscrew counter-clockwise. If I remember correctly when I replaced the gasket in mine I placed a nail set in one of the spanner wrench holes at an angle and gave the nail set a few careful taps with a hammer in the counter-clockwise direction. I was able to unscrew it by hand after loosening it. I tightened it in the same manner. If you chose to take this route you DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. Obviously the best way is to have the proper sized spanner wrench, but I didn't, so I gave it a whirl and it worked for me. Sometimes you can have better results breaking the grip by actually trying to tighten it a bit, and then backing off and loosening. Alec
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 2:38 pm
by ugly_guitar_guy
Thanks guys, I'll try to make my own spanner wrench today with some hefty nails and some rock maple scrap I have. Hopefully that will get it moving!
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 5:29 pm
by ugly_guitar_guy
Ok guys, i got the mushroom uncrewed, but the manual doesnt tell me how to separate the lower and upper part that the gasket is sandwiched in between. Does this unscrew or does it just pry apart?
Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 5:33 pm
by ugly_guitar_guy
Nevermind, i realized that it couldnt screw down the way its designed, so a quick tap with the hammer on the screwdriver popped it right open!